Monday, March 9, 2015

Audiences Won't Curb Their Enthusiasm

Venturing out into this, for a night on the town!

If you are a New Yorker, chances are you have attended opening night of a theater production, art exhibit, dance performance, or other cultural event. Always safely on the peripheral of the show business community, I have had the privilege of attending many such openings, most recently last week -- at the Fish in The Dark premier.

After trudging through the slushy New York City streets, I arrived at the theater to find it full of celebrities -- it's a hot ticket! The play, written and starring the familiar Larry David, features Rita Wilson, Ben Shenkman, Lewis Stadlen and one of my favorites (and former neighbor), Rosie Perez. Reminiscent of a 1960's comedy, Fish in the Dark is enjoyable; and the wirery and entertaining Larry David, while not a celebrated actor, delivers laughs in almost every line he says...and doesn't say.

In the play, largely sold out until summer, Larry David plays the misanthropic, sarcastic son of a man who has just passed away. The outlandish, politically incorrect comedy spins most of its humor from the petty conflict that arises as the family attempts to reorganize itself just before and after the death of the father. It's a commentary on a dysfunctional family, a family that is sexist, racist and thrives on constant bickering. While the pace could be a bit tighter, there are plenty of laughs to make the high ticket price (and millions of dollars in advance ticket sales) worthwhile.

Star-studded premier of the Broadway play, Fish in the Dark.
If you look closely, you can see Ron Howard standing at the bottom of the picture.

After the performance, we were invited to the exclusive after-party at the Grand Central Oyster Bar, where everyone was encouraged to wear festive attire. Packed into the bar's impressively large space were, of course, the cast members, including Rita Wilson, with her husband Tom Hanks, as well as numerous other celebrities such as Matthew Broderick and Charlie Rose. It was fantastic to see Diane Sawyer enjoying the festivities. She would make a fortune is she considered sharing her youthful beauty tips and regiment-- she is still flawlessly beautiful (this, despite having just lost her husband). Both the play and the after party were the quintessence of a star-studded New York evening -- such great fun, indisputably memorable -- I was happy to be a part of it all!